


Who's Scruffy Looking?

by ruby_wants_a_cookie



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson Fusion, De-Aged Characters, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Humor, and poor attempts at it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-03-10 23:50:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13512345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruby_wants_a_cookie/pseuds/ruby_wants_a_cookie
Summary: “You’re a loony,” But Rey knows he can’t be. When she rescues tall, snarky, rude Ben Solo from the clutches of a monster, Rey finds herself out of the streets and straight into a world bigger than she’s ever imagined. Before long, she’s diving headfirst into a date with destiny.Aka the Percy Jackson AU no one's thought of yet apparently. ABANDONED





	1. The Boy with the Pokemon Wallet

**Author's Note:**

> FYI, everyone is quite a bit younger in this than in Canon. Ben is 18, Rey is around 16-17ish, and Poe, Finn and some of the others will be around their ages as well. I won't get into specifics until much later.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy! :)

“You just gonna stand there or what?”

Rey gulps. Standing before her, on a calm, seemingly unordinary summer day amidst the everyday London street traffic, is a ten-foot-tall, morbidly obese, not so ordinary giant clad in, of all things, a grease-stained shirt, jeans, apron and a Yankees baseball cap, grilling beef skewers behind a food stand. His gruesome pink skin is dry and cracked from the sun. The only thing that seems to mask his body odor is the scent of meat he’s grilling. But his most distinguishing feature are the gargantuan fangs protruding from his fat lip, which erase any doubt Rey has that something about him isn't quite human.

But what’s most unsettling is the bruised, beaten boy sitting right by the stand. His most prominent feature is his hair: black, chin-length partially tied back in a ponytail, leaving his side bangs hanging loose in front of rather sizable ears. However, he’s got a strip of duct tape covering his mouth from ear to ear, and his hands have been zip-tied behind his back. Rey remembers the look in his eyes when he’d caught her staring at him. The expression in them had screamed: HELP ME!

At first, she’d dismissed it as some prank or social experiment. The giant’s fangs were just extremely good makeup (as if that was a good explanation for why he’d be wearing it out in the street), or why he must’ve been at least ten feet tall. But then she’d witness a policeman arrive and order a taco without as much of a glance in the boy’s direction. That was when Rey had. She’d followed him until she was sure the monster could not see them, tried to convince him. But the policeman, who by luck didn't seem to recognize her, wouldn't listen.

_Officer, you just bought a beef panini from a giant and yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s a kidnapped boy next to him. Yes, a giant, as in the monster, how is that offensi-no, this is not a prank, officer. What? How can you not see him? He’s right there! Alright, you go do your job when your job is right there you blind piece of-_

“Miss?” The giant grunts in a gravelly voice. “You hear me?”

If she’d been smart and swept away her conscience, she would’ve already walked away by now. She’s five foot two, and hasn’t eaten in over a day. She's got less of a chance fighting the monster and winning than she does winning the lottery. But, much to her disappointment, her conscience fails her again.

“Uh…” Rey says. “How much would one stick be?”

“Look at the sign.”

Rey glance at it. “Ten Pence?” she exclaims. She plays it up, hoping her false surprise will mask the fear that’s bubbling in her belly. “That’s a lot less than I expected.”

“That’s for a can of Coke,” the Giant explains. “You’ll have to add a pound for a stick, lass.”

“Can you just take a pound?” Rey begs.  It’s all I really have, Mr…”

“Plutt. Unkar Plutt.”

“Mr. Plutt,” Rey says. The monster scrunches his bushy eyebrows. Unnerved by the look he gives her with his beady blue eyes. Hoping she doesn’t look suspicious, she decides to mask her fear by acting as casual as possible. “Hey, do you mind if I call you Unk?”

“Doesn’t matter.” The giant replies. “I’d curse my mother either way. Now, do you have any money or no—”

“You know the Steak place down by 54th?” Rey asks.

“Yes?” the giant replies. “Are you still going to answer the question?”

“I used to wash dishes there.” Rey blurts. “Quit after half a year, but I swear I remember what their secret ingredient was for the grilled stick special that’s always being ordered. You interested?”

It’s not that great of a lie, but it’s the best she can improvise at the moment.

“You have my attention,” Unk says after an excruciatingly long moment.

“Mrs. Dolittle’s Seasoning. You just sprinkle a dice onto every skewer, cook it like normal and voila!”

“Mrs. Dolittle’s Seasoning?”

“Amazing stuff,” Rey says with as much certainty as she’s able to fake. “Better than average. Master Chef’s secret…yeah,” she finishes, unable to come up with any more bullshit to sell him on.

“And where would I find some?” Unk asks, staring at Rey with the same scrutiny that reminds her of the many caretakers in her past, whenever she got into trouble.

“There’s a grocery store just down the block, over there,” Rey replies, pointing southward. “I think you should try it out. The Steak Place could use some competition, given how much of an arse their owner is.”

“Well miss,” he says, “I gotta go use the lav. But since you’ve aroused my curiosity, I’ll use the one in that grocery store down the block and see if I can’t find some of this stuff for myself.”

“I’ll be waiting. I swear, Unk, it’s so worth the money.”

As soon as she’s sure Unk is out of sight, Rey dashes to the back of the stand, grabbing the first knife she sees and walks over to the boy.

“Good god, I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest back there,” Rey says as she kneels. Slowly, with care, she peels away the tape covering his mouth.

“You...you knew what he was? But ho-OW!” the boy yelps as Rey slides the knife a little too quickly behind the zip ties, cutting his wrist.

“Sorry!”

“You could’ve been a little more careful with that,” the boy gasps. “It hurt!”

“You didn’t need to make that any clearer. I speak English too, you know.”

The boy chuckles. “How on earth were you able to see me?”

“What do you mean how? I just saw you, like how normal people see things.”

“Well clearly, you’re not normal,” the boy says.

“Excuse me?” Rey snaps. “How rude!”

The boy ignores her. “You saw its true form?”

“If you mean the enormous hunk of meat with the horrid breath and the acne even worse than yours then yes, I did. Are all Americans as rude as you are?”

“No. And my acne isn’t that bad. It can’t be nearly as bad as how much you stink.”

Rey rolls her eyes. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

The boy slowly gets to his feet. He wipes away some dust on his Led Zeppelin shirt. He’s got a long face and large ears that stick out from his long, matted hair. His face is still boyish and gangly, but Rey can tell he’s probably a few years older than her.

“I’d be more welcome if you’d taken a shower,” he responds with a mischievous glare in his eyes.

Rey considers slapping him until she notices him pull something from under the stand. “Is that a sword?”

The boy blinks. “You can see this too?”

“Do I look blind to you?” Rey snaps. “Of course!”

“I’ll tell you if you want to follow me. Is there any source of flowing water out here? Like a river? A fountain?”

“There’s Joy of Life Fountain in Hyde Park. It’s not so far, so I’ll take you there. But why?”

“You’ll see. C’mon, let’s hurry before that monster comes back.”

***

Hyde Park isn’t too far away, though it does take a while for them to reach the Fountain. Given that it’s the morning on a weekday, she isn’t surprised to find that there’s no one there. Most people only take walks or go jogging in their weekends. As they walk, Rey listens to the boy talk about his ludicrous background. Apparently, the world Greek Gods (and their Roman counterparts) are real. Yes, that _was_ a giant she’d just been talking to, and somehow he’d been able to use some magical force called Mist, which she was able to see through.

“So…what do you think?” the boy asks after he finishes his explanation.

“You’re a loony,” Rey replies with a grin.

“Oh come on," he groans. "After that thing you’ve seen? You’ve never seen anything like that before?”

“I was kidding," Rey says. "But anyone else would think that if you told them all you’ve told me.”

“Which is why I usually don’t,” the boy says.

“But if you say I’m like you, a half-blood, I should see more stuff like the giant back there…right?" Rey asks. "Because I haven’t."  

"You’re sure?" The boy says. "Nothing like, I dunno, winged horses? Snake-haired women?”

“Nope." Rey says. "Pretty sure I would remember if I did."

“Maybe it’s because England isn’t part of any godly realm, and I just got really unlucky today,” the boy says. He looks around at the spacious area around them. “This looks like a really good place for a Pegasus to land.”

“Pegasus? Like in that Disney movie?”

“Pretty much. Flew him from New York. It’s how I ended up here.”

“Goodness.” Rey sighs. It’s silly, she thinks, how accepting she is of all this nonsense. But she’s seen the giant. And the sword, apparently, though she’s no idea why the Mist would hide something like that. Plus, it’s better than accepting the boring reality she’d thought she’d occupied. “I wish I could be special. Like you. You must to get see all kinds of cool stuff.”

“I hate to be that guy, but you really shouldn’t,” the boy replies. “I’ve had to face far worse monsters than Unkar Plutt as a kid, and I grew up in New Rome, where it’s considered _safe_ for demigods. You’ve got to be dangerous to live in a dangerous world.”

“Hey, I can be dangerous. I’ve got to. I’ve been living off the land for about, 2 months?” Rey guesses. “Wow, time flies.”

“So you _are_ homeless,” Ben says. “I didn’t want to assume, but by the way you look and you're dressed…why?”

“Why what?” Rey asks.

“Why are you homeless? You’re so young. Shouldn’t the government be able to take care of you somehow?”

“I’m running away from my foster home,” Rey explains. She decides to keep it brief. “I’m…well, I got myself into some trouble there.. Not that I really miss it, though, living there. Never really felt at home anywhere. Never felt like I really belonged. And if you always feel alone, what’ll make the difference?”

“I understand that,” the boy says. And while most people she’s met seem to only say this out of pity, this stranger Rey’s just met seems more perceptive, more genuine than anyone she’s met before.

“I’m looking for my real parents, you see,” she continues. “And I hope I’ll find them someday.”

Then Rey has a sudden realization. “Oh, wow! I nearly forgot-I don’t even know your name. I’m Rey. What’s yours?”

“Ben. Ben-“

WHACK!

Rey doesn’t even have the time to blink when Ben falls face forward to the ground. The wooden club that’d smacked the back of his skull smacks the pavement by his prone form.

“ _Solo_!” a voice cries behind her that Rey recognizes.

With dread, she turns. Still clad in his dirty apron, Unkar Plutt stomps towards her, face furious, this time brandishing what appears to be a very large wooden club.

“You thought you could get away from me?” the giant snarls. “Your scent is too strong, son of Zeus!”

“Shit!” Rey kneels and examines Ben. He’s bleeding from the back of his head, but Rey still detects a pulse. “Ben?” she cries. “Can you hear me?”

“You best leave him be now if you don’t want to get hurt, girlie,” Unk says. “You’re no match for me.”

“Someone? Anyone?” Rey cries. But no one answers. With the park empty, she’s alone in this fight.

“No one’s around, girlie,” the giant says. “And even then, they wouldn’t be able to tell what’s going on. All your yammering’s for naught.”

Rey turns to face him, closing her fists in a desperate attempt to look intimidating. “I won’t let you have him.”

“That I can see,” Unk says. “But what can you do against me? You’re a clever one, tricking me into looking for something that doesn’t exist, but there’s no way out of this.”

“Not if I can help it.” Rey rushes over and snatches Ben’s sword off the ground. But it’s heavier than she expected, and she nearly falls from just the weight of holding it up.

Despair begins to overwhelm her, which Unk just laughs at. “Oooo, I’m _so scared_ ,” he mocks. “Your skinny arms can’t even hold it right!” He starts walking toward her, face wide in a menacing grin and Rey tries to make a final stand.

“Get back!” she yells. “Leave, or I’ll shove this somewhere it hurts!”

But Unk doesn’t stop walking. When he’s close enough, Rey tries to swing the blade at his stomach, but she’s too slow, caught off guard by the weight. Before she can even blink, the sword flies out of her hands, whacked to her left by one of the giant’s enormous arms. With the other, he smacks the center of her chest hard enough to send her flying backward. Rey lands hard on her back but, thankfully, on some grass nearby.

“Someone! Anyone! Can anyone get help?” she chokes, the wind completely knocked out of her. But there’s no one in sight to hear her.

“You thought you actually stood a chance against me? Too easy,” the giant says with a horrible, menacing smile. “Last chance girl. Or I’ll be making skewers out of _you_ next.”

Rey glances to her right at Ben’s fallen sword. If she could only distract him with something, anything. Then maybe, just maybe, she might be able to make a run for it. Her chances of surviving are slim anyway, so what difference does it make? It’s the only hope she’s got either way.

“Piss off, you knob-headed freak!” Rey screams, ready to make a mad dash and fight for her life.

Then, without warning, Unk lets out a cry of pain.

“What!?”

The monster grasps his leg, which is now covered in blood. Rey watches him groan in pain, confused, but then realizes something cold and heavy is in her grasp. She looks down, and _the sword is already in her hand how did the sword get in her hand._

A sudden wave of determination and energy overflows her body, her arms, filling her with a sudden adrenaline. Any hesitation or uncertainty she has vanishes in an instant.

With a bellow of rage, she plunges the blade straight into the giant’s belly before he even has the time to block it. Unkar Plutt dissolves into a pile of sand, much to Rey’s amazement. _Well, that explains why no one’s found one of these things dead._

But then she remembers Ben and immediately dashes to his side.

“Ben?” Rey kneels and shakes his shoulders. “BEN!”

Silence. She fears the worst. But then…

“Ugh, …my bag…” Ben grumbles, grimacing. He tries to move his arms toward his head, probably to touch the wound there, but Rey stops him.

“Don’t touch it,” she says. “You need medical help. I’m going to try to find the police.”

“No.” Ben shakes his head. “Won’t understand. My bag. Ambrosia. Cubes.”

“Ambro-what?” Rey asks as she grabs Ben’s bag and zips it open. “What cubes?”

“The cubes…need to eat. Healing powers.”

It doesn’t take much shuffling through the mess in Ben’s bag (lint, cigarettes, a can of beer, a…Pokemon wallet? And out of all colors…in _pink_?) for Rey to find a plastic bag filled with cubes of a caramel color. She scoops out a few and feeds them to Ben, who grumbles in pain as he chews them.

“More hocus pocus, gosh,” Rey mutters under her breath as she watches the wound in the back of Ben’s head slowly close and cease bleeding.

“You killed the giant?” Ben asks, still drowsy.

“Yeah, obviously. Otherwise, I’d be roasting on its grill, apparently. Do you have any idea why he didn’t eat you?”

“No,” Ben replies. “He said he needed me alive, which is very strange, but given who I am…I guess I’m shouldn’t be too surprised. But how did you do it? I mean, no offense, but you don’t look like you’d be able to stand up to that thing bare handed.”

“Why would I do that?” Rey asks, confused. “I used your sword.”

“But you’re…” Careening slightly, Ben pushes himself up onto his feet. “If you’re mortal, how could you touch this sword? Mortals shouldn’t be able to touch Stygian Iron.”

“I didn’t just touch it,” Rey says.  “It…when the giant swung it away, I reached out, and it just flew into my hand.”

She explains exactly what happened, the sensation she felt when she’d gripped the sword. When she’s finished, Ben’s eyes have widened in shock. “I’ve no idea what to make of that. You’re not a half-blood: he would’ve been able to smell you, or at least mention it. Unless he was holding something back, which isn’t likely. He would’ve wanted to kill you as soon as he laid eyes on you.”

_And after all her efforts to be polite..._

Seeing that Ben looks alright for someone who'd just been knocked out, Rey hands him back his backpack.

“But you have powers,” Ben says. “Zeus’s beard, you’ve got to come with me to Camp Half-Blood.”

“What, now?” Rey asks.

“Yeah, why not?” Ben replies. “What, you don’t want to go? You’re not even the slightest bit curious?”

Rey considers her options. Her days hiding from the authorities have always been numbered; London police are especially good at their jobs. She figures she has maybe another week, two if she’s lucky before they catch her again.

“Yes, I am,” she says. “I was just in shock, that’s all.”

“Great!” Ben says. “But believe me, skewer grilling Giants in the middle of London is nothing compared to what you’ll see when we get to Camp Half-Blood. You won’t have to go dumpster diving anymore where we’re going. There’s going to be fresh food, a nice, cozy cabin, and showers, which you’ll probably _love_ -“

“Good god,” Rey rolls her eyes. “You must’ve given your mother a lot of trouble with that mouth of yours.”

Ben’s expression changes. Rey notices a certain glint in his eyes that she recognizes instantly. Lonely eyes filled with a melancholy that seek what’s far beyond their line of sight.

“Well,” he says, a sad smile gracing his face, “you’re not wrong about that.”

Suddenly, Rey has never regretted saying anything more quickly in her entire life.

 


	2. Yer A Magical Girl, Rey

Rey is  _so_ glad she isn’t scared of heights.

Her view from high above the clouds, thousands of feet in the air, with the summer wind blowing in her face: gorgeous is an eight-letter word that defines what to her is indescribable. The only negative she has is the freezing wind that bites at her nose and cheeks, but Ben has lent her his spare hoodie so the rest of her body is protected.

“Hanging alright back there, Rey?” asks Poe Dameron from the front. He’d been the one who’d been at the end of Ben’s super cool rainbow Skype video call after they’d both recovered. Much to Rey’s surprise, three hours later a chariot pulled by living, breathing pegasi arrived to take them to Ben’s home: Camp Half-Blood.

At first, she’d been nervous about flying in what was essentially an open box, but Poe, with his dashing smile and handsome Latino features, had quelled those fears almost as soon as they’d taken off the ground. The chariot had proven to be quite safe, as there seemed to be some invisible force that prevented its passengers from falling off the rear. Since then, they’ve been sailing…or flying, quite smoothly.

“It’s still a bit chilly, but I’ll be fine,” she replies, rubbing her hands to make them warmer. “How long do we have?”

“Maybe an hour? I’m surprised you didn’t think of stealing the chariot, Solo.” Poe glances over his shoulder right at Ben, who scowls back.

“It would’ve been too hard,” he says nonchalantly. “All the horses would’ve put up a fuss. Plus, it was in the most guarded part of camp.”

“So instead you decided to take the fastest Pegasus in camp and get him killed.”

“Lightning’s not dead!” Ben protests. “The storm we ran into just separated us! He didn’t make it back?”

“He was still missing when Luke let me take the chariot. Oh man...” Poe chuckles. “You have no idea how much trouble you’re in. You should’ve seen his face when I told him about your message.”

Ben rolls his eyes. “It won’t be anything I haven’t gone through before. I’m not the slightest bit scared.”

“Course you’re not.” Poe shakes his head. “You can handle it all with a wave of your magical ten-inch dick. Which, by the way, Betty Bloom? Really? Bushy vagina and all?

Ben chokes. “Wait,  _bushy vagina_? Are you implying you’ve slept with her too, or is that just me assuming things?”

“It’s been, what, a month?” Poe grins slyly. “You’re late to that achievement Solo, if you can call it that.” His gaze meets Rey’s eyes. “FYI, back at camp, he’s like the Terminator of teenage pussy. Just takes ‘em out one by one, with nothing stopping him.”

“And he’s Camp Half-Blood’s Hispanic James Bond,” Ben interrupts. “Not much of a better title in my opinion.”

“Excuse me?” Poe retorts. “What you mean, “not better?” One’s a hero who gets the girl in like every movie, and the other gets crushed to bits by a girl and is-”

“Eventually literally remodeled into one of the greatest action heroes of all time.”

“Who only has two great movies and is now a dead franchise.”

“Well, you’ve only had like, 2 great movies out of, like, 50!”

“Boys, can you cut it out?” Rey interrupts. “Please don’t tell me you’re like this at camp.”

“Yup,” Poe says, much to Rey’s dismay. “Though  _he_  usually starts it.”

“I can blast you out of the sky right now, Dameron,” Ben snarls.

“Well, I guess I should pray to almighty Zeus for protection from his lovely begotten hormone raging son. I’m sure he’ll be understanding.”

“Wait...” Rey interrupts. “Ben,  _you’re_ a son of Zeus? Does that make you a Prince?

“In a way,” Poe replies. “Though he sure doesn’t look the part.”

“ _Shut the fuck up_   _Dameron_ ,” Ben fumes, nostrils flaring.

“So Ben,” Rey interrupts, trying to pull the plug on the spark of tension threatening to ignite between them. “Does that mean I have to call you Your Majesty?”

Ben wrinkles his brow. “No, of course not. Even though my father is King of the Gods, I don’t think that any of his children are considered princes or princesses. It’s not like he needs heirs since he’s immortal.”

“Huh. And what about you, Poe? Who’s your godly parent?” Rey asks. She wonders if the two are siblings, given how they bicker in the same way she imagines brothers do.

“Hermes, God of messengers and the mail,” Poe replies with a proud grin. “And since he’s the god of travelers too, you’re going to be sleeping in our cabin if you’re not claimed by the time we get to Camp.”

“Which probably won’t happen,” Rey says, remembering Ben’s words.

“Hey, don’t worry,” Poe says, giving her a comforting smile. “You’ll feel right at home with us. We don’t bite. Most of the time. This asshole’s an exception.”

Suddenly, there is a resounding BOOM! As a streak of lightning flashes only a few feet away from the chariot with a blinding flash of light. The wind picks up again, tousling Ben’s hair. And if looks could kill, his would, given how he’s glaring daggers at Poe. The horses fuss, whinnying and galloping madly in the air as Poe tries to calm them, even while still shivering in shock himself.

“Oh my God,“ Rey exclaims as soon as her heart stops wanting to jump out of her chest. “Wait, Gods? God? Is there even still a God anymore?” She decides to stick to the latter, not wanting to piss off the very real beings she should avoid offending at any cost. “Boys, can you for love of the Gods keep it together? I don’t want to go to this Camp having to explain why one us is either a corpse or a pile of ashes.”

After a moment, Ben nods, though Rey can tell he’s doing so begrudgingly. Poe gives a short nod as well as he continues to try to get the unnerved pegasi to relax.

Eventually, they do, resuming flight without as much as a whinny. Nobody speaks until they finally descend. The sight that greets Rey is instantly mesmerizing. Hundreds of acres of woods spread out before her as they reach a shore. Soon, she can make out a few dozen little cabins forming U shape around a dining pavilion, and a winding stream throughout the area. The rolling hills around it though, look gorgeous in the sunlight. Up ahead is an enormous lake, and further ahead of all the way to her right…

“Is that the Empire State Building?”

“Yup,” Ben replies. “Welcome to New York.”

_No bloody way._

As they slowly descend from the clouds, Poe looks back at them. “Ladies and gentlemen, since we at Camp Half-Blood are completely sane and don’t believe in the luxury of seat belts, please grab onto a stationary object nearest you. We are preparing for quite a landing.”

“Please tell me you’re kidding,” Rey says. Had she forgotten to tell him she easily gets motion sickness?

But Poe merely winks back. Thankfully, it turns out he  _is_  kidding, because their descent is even smoother than their takeoff. They land on a clearing, right in front of a large baby blue four-story manor as teenagers clad in orange shirts, who she assumes are campers, start walking toward them. Rey’s slightly intimidated by them all pointing at them and staring until an angry voice cuts through the air.

“BENJAMIN SOLO!”

Rey turns. A grizzled, middle-aged man walks down the manor’s enormous wraparound porch, clearly furious. He’s got a grey beard and steely blue eyes, wearing a navy hoodie over a Spock t-shirt, and jeans.

“Hi Uncle Luke,” Ben greets with an undeterred expression.

Luke stomps toward them, a dangerous glint in his eyes that reminds Rey of the sternest teacher’s she’s ever had. “You idiotic…” he snarls, then stops himself. Rey knows exactly what he was about to say. “Do you have  _any_  idea how worried your mother is? You and I are going to have quite a talk when-”

He finally notices Rey, and his expression softens. “Pardon me. What is your name, if I may ask?

“Hello sir,” Rey greets in as polite a tone as she can muster. “My name’s Rey, and if you were wondering, I’m the one who saved your nephew from a giant.”

“Well, Rey, welcome to Camp Half-Blood,” Luke says. “Mine is Luke Skywalker. I’m the Camp’s Activities Director, and, as you already know, Ben’s uncle. Welcome to Camp Half-blood. You must have so many questions.”

Rey nods.  _“_ Many questions is quite an understatement, Mr. Skywalker.”

“Then let’s not waste any time. Come to my office, Rey.” Luke beckons them towards the house. “Ben, Poe, you come with me as well.”

After taking far too much time climbing the steps of what he explains is the “Big House,” Rey is led inside. Inside, she is surrounded by an overwhelming amount of strange décor crammed on the walls and shelves inside. She recalls watching a YouTube video of a tour of Guillermo Del Toro’s collection house and is immediately reminded of it, with the sea of endless, yet well-organized statues, oil paintings, and the head of a spotted Leopard that hungrily stares at her like she’s its next meal.

Wait, did it just  _blink_?

ROAR!

“Shut up, Seymour!” Luke yells in annoyance. He takes an apple from a bowl of fruit on a coffee table and tosses it into the leopard’s mouth. Rey is stunned to see it crunch on it with pleasure.

“A _gift_  from the previous Camp Director, Dionysus, God of Wine,” Luke explains. “I became the Activities Director after he left.”

“The God of Wine used to run this Summer Camp?”

“Punishment for trying to seduce a Lord of the Wild’s wife,” Luke explains with a roll of his eyes. “He  _hated_  it here.”

“Let me guess, he couldn’t drink at all.”

“Bingo.” He leads her into his tiny office, which is more ordinary looking than the rest of the house. He gestures her towards a chair right in front of his desk, as Poe and Ben seat themselves on a couch only a few feet away.

Luke crosses his arms as he relaxes into his leather office recliner. “Normally our current Camp Director, Chiron, would be here to greet you as well. But he has gone on a brief break to visit his cousins in Texas. So he’ll catch up on your story when he gets back. Tell me, Rey. How did you meet Ben?”

Rey recounts as much as she can of what had happened. When she confesses the fact that she’d been running away from a foster home, Luke merely widens his eyes and continues listening. When she has finished, he leans back into his office chair hands folded, eyes scrunched.

“This...truly is puzzling, Rey,” he says. “Can you demonstrate your powers to me now?” He points to a little model of the starship Enterprise on a shelf nearby. “Try to make that model fly into your hand.”

Rey reaches out, concentrating as hard as she can. For a moment she thinks nothing will happen until it flies straight into her hand with a WHOOSH.

Poe and Ben both jump in their seats.

“Holy shit,” they exclaim in unison.

“Language, boys,” Luke scolds. “But that is an appropriate reaction. How about you try that training sword over there?” Luke points towards a barrel in the corner which holds an assortment of pool toys. ”But this time, see if you can keep it up in midair.”

Rey does it again, though now she feels her muscles start to tense up the longer she holds it up. Eventually, she drops her concentration and it clatters to the ground.

“Incredible,” Luke exclaims. “The amount of control you have…you’re sure you’ve never done this before?”

“No,” Rey says. “Do you know if there’s a limit to this power? I felt my arm start to strain a bit after a while of holding it up.”

“Given my time knowing others with similar abilities, I believe it may take as much energy from you as if you were actually holding it in real life,” Luke replies. “Also as far as I can tell, your power doesn’t appear to be restricted by any element. That’s a trait only the Hecate cabin seems to have.”

“Who’s Hecate?” Rey doesn’t recognize the name of who she assumes to be another god. She only really remembers Zeus, Poseidon, and the one with blue fire for hair in that old Disney film that she’s seen before, back at the orphanage.

“The goddess of magic,” Luke replies. “Her kids are exceptionally talented at telekinesis, spell casting, illusions, the sort. If it were up to me, I would put you in her cabin right now. But it’s against camp rules to allow an unclaimed demigod into any cabin except Hermes.”

“What if she isn’t a demigod though?” Ben says. “The monster didn’t seem to smell her and seemed surprised she had powers.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Luke replies. “Perhaps...Rey, are you sure you don’t know who your parents are?”

Rey wishes she had the power to disappear. A tightening feeling begins to envelop her chest, her lungs, but still takes a deep breath, trying to force it away.

“I wish,” she says as her insides turn cold. “Now, more than ever, if either of them had powers like mine.

She reaches around her neck to take off the locket hidden under her shirt and holds it out for Luke to see. It’s circular shaped, etched with circular designs laced with other shapes and lines creating a beautiful collage of carved metal. On the center of the lid is etched an outline of a cat, staring upward: to what, where and why, Rey has been wondering for years, along with the identity of its original owner.

“This was left with me on the steps of the orphanage I grew up in. I know it’s pure silver, but no manufacturer or seller can recognize who made it. And it won’t open. Either way…” she swallows, trying to fight the sinking feeling in her chest, “it’s the key to finding the person I’ve wanted to know my entire life.”

Luke’s eyes are warm and filled with sympathy. “If it helps, I didn’t know much of my parents, either,” he says with a sigh. “You see, my father was a son of Hades, yet our mother was a daughter of Mars, a Roman. She died giving birth to me and my twin sister, Leia, Ben’s mother. After that, My father disappeared, and for years I’d thought he was dead. But the truth was...far worse. He’d become a servant of the Titan Kronos and helped start the 2nd Titan war.”

“What  _is_  the Titan War?” Rey asks, curious. “Poe told me you got the flying chariot from it.”

Luke’s eyes darken. “Rey, have you ever heard about the attack on the Empire State Building, thirty years ago? And the earthquake that followed, while Hurricane Bob was ravaging the entire country?”

“Yes,” Rey replies. “Let me guess, that was you guys?”

Luke nods. “That was us trying to stop the Titans, the beings that ruled the world before the Gods, from taking Olympus. I convinced my father that there was still enough compassion and love within him to betray the Titan King Kronos and become the hero he was destined to be.” His eyes have a faraway gleam as if he’s reliving the memory as he retells it. “Unfortunately,” he sighs, “he did so at the cost of his life.”

“That’s...wow.” Rey doesn’t know what else to say. She senses it’s a topic Luke doesn’t enjoy bringing up, much less talk about. “I’m really sorry.”

“Thank you for the courtesy.” Luke gives her a warm smile, far from the stern demeanor he’d given her when she’d first met him. “But his life and death taught us a valuable lesson here at Camp Half-Blood: that you can never truly leave our family once you become a part of it. Compassion, love, forgiveness. I’ve learned that they’re just as powerful as any sword or shield. Even more.”

At that, any trace of melancholy on his face instantly disappears. “Rey...I don’t know why Fate has sent you here to us, but I can tell by the look in your eyes that you want something more than what you’ve had for your life. Am I correct?”

Rey is caught off guard by Luke’s insightfulness, how scarily accurate his analysis of her is. She nods.

“Good. Because today, you’re about to get it.” Luke turns to face the boys. “Poe, do you have time to give Rey a tour of the place?”

“Of course Luke,” Poe says with a smile, baring pearly whites straight out of a toothpaste commercial.

“Thank you,” Luke replies. “Ben, you stay here. There’s quite a lot I need to talk about with you,” Luke says. “And we’re going to Iris message your mother too.”

Ben grumbles, but nods.

“See you later then, I guess?” Rey says as she gets up.

Ben shrugs his shoulder. “Sure. If I survive.”

“Here’s to the fittest then,” Rey replies with a smile, raising an imaginary goblet in her fist. He waves back, giving a small smile in return as she leaves with Poe.

As they walk out of the house down the steps of the Big House, Rey turns to Poe. “So, Zeus knocked up his brother’s granddaughter? Aren’t the gods already inbred enough as they are?”

Poe chuckles. “Godly relations only truly matter to your own half-siblings or children. Sounds illogical and messed up, but it used to be even more so back in the day.”

“That doesn’t really help at all.

Then Rey recalls something she learned from a Literature class. “And given how many of you are, I bet none of the sibling/sibling marriages are really the healthiest, aren’t they?

Poe pauses, then decides; “Probably not.”

“Well, I’ll take your word for it,” Rey says. “At least I’m somewhat assured that I never lack options when it comes to my romantic life. Not that I’ll ever really have a chance with anyone, anyway.”

“What?” Poe exclaims, stops right in his tracks. “Look, I’m not exactly one to talk, given I haven’t kept a relationship for any longer than 3 weeks, but, Rey, uglier people than you tend to have more lasting and meaningful relationships than the most attractive people on earth.”

Rey sighs. “Still, at least they _try_ to look decent. I’ve never touched makeup in my life. I don’t even shave my armpits that much.”

Poe shakes his head. “Rey. Repeat after me: I am fine just the way I am.”

“I’m ugly and I’m proud,” she quips back.

He lets out a disappointed sigh. “ _Come on_ , girl.”

Rey sighs. “I don’t like people who lie to themselves just to make themselves feel more confident. I prefer to take the bull by the horns and just...hope I don’t get crushed.”

“And you’re not worried about what’ll happen if you do?”

She doesn’t understand why he’s so worked up on this. Why would he, someone she’s just known for a few hours, care so much? Still, deep down she likes it. Something about his persistence stops her from pulling the plug on the conversation.

“Look, isn’t there always a moment in our lives when someone tells us we’ve got to believe in ourselves? So why not this? Sixteen years, and I’ve been doing alright so far. I see no reason to call quits now.”

“It’s not healthy,” Poe insists, shaking his head again.

“At least it isn’t incest.”

Poe instantly barks with laughter, a loud, hearty sound that strikes Rey like lightning. 

“You may be right about that, but listen." He places a warm hand on her shoulder.  "Nothing good ever comes out of putting yourself down, even if it’s to avoid any other kind of hurt. I can’t force you to do anything, but remember, this is a summer camp. Treat it like one.”

The smile he gives her is so irresistible, almost contagious, Rey can’t help but return it. Even though she doesn’t agree with him, she nods anyway.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter might take a while, it might not. Either way, I hope you still enjoyed this new chapter! Thank you so much to all those who left kudos and comments :)


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